Don't Worry 17 - Share it with Other Believers

17. Share it with other believers

In the last post in this occasional series (some time ago now!) I recommended seeking Christian fellowship as an antidote to worry, even if this seems counter-intuitive at the time.

I could go further: why not share your concerns with other believers and ask them to pray?  As British people we find ourselves very reluctant to do this but it can be a great help to know that someone else is aware of the struggle that you’re facing and is praying for you and supporting you.

Paul, even though he was an apostle, often requested others to pray for him, conscious of the help this gave:  I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.  (Romans 15:30)  Pray also for me.  (Ephesians 6:9)  And pray for us, too ...  (Colossians 4:3)  Brothers, pray for us.  (1 Thessalonians 5:25)  Finally, brothers, pray for us ...  (2 Thessalonians 3:1)

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.  (James 5:16)  Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.  (Galatians 6:2)

Don't Worry 16 - Seek Christian Fellowship

16. Seek Christian fellowship

Avoid being on your own.  Don’t avoid meeting with other believers.  Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Heb 10:25 )

There’s a tendency when we’re worried to cut ourselves off from others, especially the people of God.  I don’t know if it’s because we feel inadequate, or because worrying makes us feel that we haven’t time for Christian fellowship.  Whatever the reason, it’s got to be unhelpful — if only because fellow Christians will help us to focus on the important issues and encourage us to stop thinking only about ourselves.